Italian tomato sauce

30-Jul-2014

Have you ever wondered how to make a traditional Italian tomato sauce? If you have, then you might have found the perfect answer to your question. This basic and straightforward preparation is able to add a great deal of flavour to an endless variety of dishes, and it will also bring the delicate and unique aroma of Italian food into your house. We always make sure that we have some of this sauce in our fridge, so that it can be easily added to all of those dishes that require a touch of Italia.

Place a saucepan over a medium heat, pour in the oil, add in the garlic and gently fry it until it acquires a light brown colour.

Tilt the pan, let all the oil collect on one side and absorb it with a piece of kitchen paper.

Turn the heat back on medium, tip in the tomatoes, break them into smaller pieces with a spoon and stir.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat to the minimum and cover the pan with a lid. Make sure to leave the pot partially uncovered to let the steam escape; this will concentrate the sauce (and the flavour) overtime. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes over the lowest heat.

Once the time has elapsed, remove the lid, stir the sauce and bring it back to a simmer. Place the lid back on and cook for additional 5 minutes.

Once the time is up, repeat the process one last time to complete the sauce. 15 minutes of total cooking time is generally enough for small quantities of sauce.

The last step, is to add three torn basil leaves and stir one last time to complete the sauce. Remember to taste the sauce and adjust salt if necessary.

Substitutions and Tips

The best way to remove some of the acidity from the tomato sauce is to add a small quantity of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) before the cooking process. However, make sure not to add too much baking soda, or the sauce will acquire an unpleasant soapy taste.